Lake !Gariep Tourism Route

This major initiative started with the need to develop the greater Gariep Dam area, resulting in the formation of a Tri-District Alliance between the district municipalities surrounding the dam. Evidently opportunities exist to unlock significant undeveloped potentials in amongst others, environmental conservation, tourism and agriculture existing in the region surrounding the Gariep Dam, the water of the Orange River and the Dam itself.

Consequently an implementation action plan was adopted and in that the idea was mooted that the dam be branded “Lake !Gariep” to achieve National Tourist Destination Status.

Lake !Gariep is located within the Karoo Heartland, close to the historical towns of Bethulie, Venterstad, Colesberg, Gariep Dam town, Oviston and Aliwal North, crossing the boundaries of the Free State, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape Provinces.

Lake !Gariep is surrounded by three provincial game reserves which include Oviston Nature Reserve, Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve and the Gariep Nature Reserve. A Memorandum of Understanding has been drafted by the MEC's of the three provinces, which, when implemented, will effectively join the three reserves and create a conservation area in excess of 85 000 hectares.

The inclusion of Tussen-die-Riviere reserve within this new conservation initiative is particularly significant as the reserve is bounded by two major river systems the Caledon and Orange.
The protected areas and game reserves that surround Lake !Gariep give sanctuary to a wide diversity of wildlife species, which are endemic to the semi-desert areas of the central Karoo.

Ecotourism activities within the protected areas of Lake !Gariep include game viewing by private vehicle, walking trails under the supervision of professional guides, angling, ornithology and the simplistic and intrinsic value of exploring wild and unspoilt landscapes.
Lake !Gariep offers a tremendous diversity of adventure tourism activities, the majority of which are water related. The 360 km² lake surface offers superb opportunities for yachting, sunset cruises, power boating and skiing.
An unique house-boat operation, similar to those based on lake Kariba, is to be initiated during 2004 and based at the small town of Oviston. The shoreline provides the fisherman with a diversity of angling activities, including fly-fishing and bait fishing for yellowfish, tilapia and mudfish.

Downstream of Lake !Gariep, the perennial Orange River offers a variety of adventure tourism activities, including river rafting, kayaking, abseiling, horse trails, hiking and flyfishing.

In this special feature a bird's eye view is presented of the Lake !Gariep Tourism Route together with the stakeholders and product owners will actually make up this route.